Jannik Sinner vs Karen Khachanov Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Australian Open

Prediction published on 19/01/2024, 10:43  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 19/01/2024 at 11:43 in ATP Australian Open Predictions

Jannik Sinner bids to reach his second Australian Open quarter final. The fourth seed is up against 15th seeded Karen Khachanov after making a strong start to this hard court Grand Slam. The victor here will take on either fifth seed Andrey Rublev or tenth seeded Alex de Minaur in the last eight. Sinner was ranked fourth when this Australian Open began and he remains in that position. There's a big gap between him and the top three in the rankings. The Italian is playing his first tournament since winning all three matches as Italy won the Davis Cup last November. That was a great end to a very successful 2023 that saw him four singles titles, all on hard courts which is the surface for this tournament. He will want to be more consistent in Grand Slams though in 2024. Sinner got to the last four at Wimbledon but not beyond round four in the others. It's gone well for him so far in this tournament with three straight sets wins and only 22 games dropped and just ten in the last two.

World number 15 Karen Khachanov reached the semi-finals here last year after previously never having made it past round three. He also got to the last eight at Roland Garros but then missed Wimbledon and lost in round one at the US Open. He won his first ever match against Sinner but that was four years ago. Sinner has won the two that have been played since, most recently at the Miami Open in 2021 and the Italian has improved since then. In their three meetings, there have been five tie-breaks played so a side bet on one here could be profitable. Khachanov's new year didn't start well losing in Hong Kong. His three wins here have seen him lose lose three sets. We tip Sinner to win this in straight sets.